Mai Samih interviews one of the younger generations in one of the oldest trades In the heart of Islamic Cairo lies the ancient market of Egyptian handicraft. Amidst the handmade copper and silver ornaments, adjacent to the famed Khan Al-Khalili market -- a tourism landmark in Cairo -- lies a small rosary workshop where 22-year-old Hassan Ramadan works. Ramadan, a rosary craftsman for 13 years, says the Egyptian handicraft market is not what it used to be, so started to depend on the regional market as the only way out. But that did not help. "We used to export all our products to the Gulf countries. Now even this has stopped." Ramadan had the good fortune of completing his preparatory schooling when, according to UNDP statistics in 2010, 25 per cent of Egyptians aged 18-29 did not complete basic education (17 per cent dropped out of school before completing basic education and 10 per cent never enrolled in school). Ramadan laments the golden age of the Khan when his monthly salary was from LE2,500 to LE2,000. He is currently down to between LE800 and LE500, about a quarter of what he used to make. "There is no change, no progress. Nothing is done. One day we have a customer, another we don't." During the revolution many shops including the one Ramadan works in were vandalised in the absence of police. Still, Ramadan never left his workshop. The streets are still not safe, making matters worse. "tourism and security go hand in hand. If we have one we have the other because you can't expect tourists to go where it's not safe," he said. The scarcity of customers has also affected his workshop routine. A day that used to begin at 10am or 11am and which ended at 2.30pm or 3pm now begins at 1.30pm or 2pm and ends at 10pm or later whether there is work or not. According to the 2010 UNDP report, Egypt has a sizeable youth population -- 25 per cent of Egyptians are between the ages of 18 and 29. According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics, the number of young craftsmen in Egypt between the ages of five and 17 is 17.2 million. The percentage of male youths working in handicraft is 15.2 per cent of the 17 million. This number is decreasing since not all youths studying in technical secondary schools end up as craftsmen; 70 per cent continue their academic education. The situation is getting worse by the day with little attention paid by the government. "Not long after the revolution, Finance Ministry and NGO representatives visited my workshop and promised compensation after photocopying my colleagues' ID cards and mine. But so far, we have received nothing," Ramadan complains. Ramadan believes Khan Al-Khalili is the last on the list of priorities of NGOs and the government. "They give compensation to those working in Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada but it is Sharm El-Sheikh they should be focussing on more." Ramadan believes the key to change is "by relying on one's conscience. We should change our attitudes before someone else comes and does it for us. If this unilateral change happens, everything will change for the best." The most important thing, according to Ramadan, is for the government to do what the people want: to put an end to theft and practise solidarity. If craftsmen were granted their needs, Egypt would receive a major financial boost because they are the real treasure and tourists buy their work. According to the Ministry of Tourism Media Office, some 10.6 million tourists visited Egypt in 2011, as opposed to approximately 14.5 million visitors in 2010. Despite the difficulties, Ramadan remains optimistic about the future of Egypt. "So far the parliamentary elections are not being tampered with which is a good sign. This is bringing us closer to stability and prosperity no matter who gets the most votes."
